In article <515o0p$ld7 at castor.utu.fi> Harry Lehto, hlehto at utu.fi writes:
> Absolutely sure you have proper chantarelles? "maggot infested
> chantarelles" sounds suspicious to me.
In my area (southern michigan) the shroom I take to be C. cibarius
will sometimes have pin-holes from larvae if they are old.
I take it as a sign that I should have been there earlier and cry.
It is particularly true in years when they come early, late july or
early august here, and when they are pretty big (cap >2 inches broad).
The shroom can stand in its spot for weeks in the right weather, so
it's not amazing that something gets to them (besides the damn deer).
My shrooms come in white oak family members, prefering north faces
with old-growth characteristics (big trees, downed timber).
96 has been a crap year here, no rain in July or August to speak of.
I agree that in europe insect infestation seems rarer (I know only
Bavaria and Austria) but the shrooms I know there are smaller, not
like a shot glass, and the environment quite different.
Newly emboldened to add ~2 cents, rork the mycophagist.